Verbena plant named ‘USBENA291’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Verbena  plant named ‘USBENA291’, characterized by its low and outwardly spreading plant habit; vigorous growth habit; numerous large purple-colored flowers; and tolerance to Powdery Mildew.

Botanical classification/cultivar designation: Verbena hybrida cultivar USBENA291.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present Invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Verbena plant, botanically known as Verbena hybrida, and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘USBENA291’.

The new Verbena is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Hikone, Shiga, Japan. The objective of the breeding program is to develop new disease-resistant and high temperature-tolerant Verbena cultivars with semi-upright plant habit and attractive flower coloration.

The new Verbena originated from a cross-pollination made by the Inventor on May 12, 2000 of an unidentified selection of Verbena hybrida, not patented, as the female, or seed, parent with a proprietary selection of Verbena hybrida identified as code number VJS8-3, not patented, as the male, or pollen, parent. The cultivar USBENA291 was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a flowering plant within the progeny from the aforementioned cross-pollination in a controlled environment in Bonsall, Calif. on Jun. 24, 2001.

Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar by cuttings at Bonsall, Calif., since Jul. 5, 2001, has shown that the unique features of this new Verbena are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations of asexual reproduction.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘USBENA291’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘USBENA291’ as a new and distinct cultivar:

-   -   1. Low and outwardly spreading plant habit.     -   2. Vigorous growth habit.     -   3. Numerous large purple-colored flowers.     -   4. Tolerant to Powdery Mildew.

In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Hikone, Shiga, Japan, plants of the new Verbena differed from plants of the female parent selection in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Verbena were more vigorous than plants of         the female parent selection.     -   2. Plants of the new Verbena had larger flowers than plants of         the female parent selection.     -   3. Plants of the new Verbena flowered earlier than plants of the         female parent selection.

In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Hikone, Shiga, Japan, plants of the new Verbena differed from plants of the male parent selection in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Verbena were more upright than plants of         the male parent selection.     -   2. Plants of the new Verbena flowered earlier than plants of the         male parent selection.

The new Verbena can be compared to the cultivar, Tapien Blue Violet, not patented. However, in side-by-side comparisons conducted in Bonsall, Calif., plants of the new Verbena differed from plants of the cultivar Tapien Blue Violet in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Verbena were more upright than plants of         the cultivar Tapien Blue Violet.     -   2. Plants of the new Verbena had taller inflorescences than         plants of the cultivar Tapien Blue Violet.     -   3. Plants of the new Verbena flowered earlier than plants of the         cultivar Tapien Blue Violet.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearance of the new cultivar, showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors of the new Verbena.

The photograph at the top of the sheet comprises a side perspective view of a typical plant of ‘USBENA291’ grown in a container.

The photograph at the bottom of the sheet is a close-up view of typical flowers of ‘USBENA291’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 1995 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used. Plants grown in 15-cm containers were used for the aforementioned photographs and following description. Plants had been growing for about ten weeks when the photographs and the description were taken. Plants were grown under conditions which closely approximate commercial production conditions during the autumn in Bonsall, Calif., in an outdoor nursery. During the production period, day temperatures ranged from about 18 to about 35° C. and night temperatures ranged from about 16 to about 21° C.

-   Botanical classification: Verbena hybrida cultivar USBENA291. -   Parentage:     -   -   Female parent.—Unidentified selection of Verbena hybrida,             not patented.         -   Male parent.—Proprietary selection of Verbena hybrida             identified as code number VJS8-3, not patented. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type cutting.—Vegetative tip cuttings.         -   Time to initiate roots.—About 7 days at 18° C.         -   Time to develop roots.—About 21 days at 18° C.         -   Root description.—Fibrous; whitish in color.         -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching. -   Plant description:     -   -   General appearance.—Low and outwardly spreading plant habit;             eventually somewhat trailing plant habit.         -   Growth and branching habit.—Freely basal branching; about             six lateral branches develop per plant. Pinching, that is,             removal of the terminal apices, enhances branching with             lateral branches potentially forming at every node. Vigorous             growth habit; moderate growth rate.         -   Plant height.—About 17 cm.         -   Plant diameter or spread.—About 40 cm.         -   Lateral branch description.—Length: About 30 cm. Diameter:             About 2.5 mm. Internode length: About 2.3 cm. Texture:             Pubescent. Color: 144A.         -   Foliage description.—Arrangement: Opposite, simple. Length:             About 2.5 cm. Width: About 3.7 cm. Shape: Deltoid. Apex:             Acute. Base: Attenuate. Margin: Deeply dissected. Texture,             upper and lower surfaces: Pubescent; slightly coarse.             Venation pattern: Pinnate. Color: Developing foliage, upper             surface: 146A. Developing foliage, lower surface: 146C.             Fully expanded foliage, upper surface: 147A. Fully expanded             foliage, lower surface: 147B. Venation, upper and lower             surfaces: 147B. Petiole: Length: About 1.1 cm. Diameter:             About 2 mm. Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Pubescent.             Color, upper and lower surfaces: 146B. -   Flower description:     -   -   Flower type and habit.—Single upright salverform flowers             arranged on hemispherical corymbs. Freely flowering with             about 34 flowers per inflorescence. Inflorescences             positioned above and beyond the foliage. Flowers last about             five days under greenhouse conditions. Corollas not             persistent. Flowers not fragrant.         -   Flowering season.—In the garden, flowering is continuous             from spring until fall.         -   Inflorescence height.—About 5.25 cm.         -   Inflorescence diameter.—About 3.8 cm.         -   Flower size.—Diameter: About 1.7 cm. Height (depth): About 2             cm.         -   Flower buds.—Length: About 1.3 cm. Diameter: About 2 mm.             Shape: Elongate. Color: 77A.         -   Petals.—Quantity/arrangement: Five per flower fused at base.             Lobe length: About 8 mm. Lobe width: About 6 mm. Shape:             Cordate. Apex: Emarginate. Margin: Entire. Texture, upper             and lower petal surfaces: Glabrous, smooth; velvety.             Texture, throat and tube: Pubescent. Color: When opening,             upper surface: 71A. When opening, lower surface: 77B. Fully             opened, upper surface: 78A. Fully opened, lower surface: 77C             to 77D. Throat: Close to 78A. Tube: Close to 77C to 77D.         -   Sepals.—Quantity/arrangement: Five, fused into an elongated             tube. Length: About 8 mm. Diameter: Less than 1 mm. Shape:             Linear. Apex: Acuminate. Margin: Entire. Texture, upper and             lower surfaces: Pubescent. Color, upper surface: 147C.             Color, lower surface: 147D.         -   Peduncles.—Length: About 4 cm. Diameter: About 1.5 mm.             Strength: Strong. Angle to stem: Horizontal to curving             upright. Texture: Pubescent. Color: 146A.         -   Reproductive organs.—Stamens: Quantity: Four per flower.             Anther shape: Oval. Anther length: Less than 1 mm. Anther             color: 145B. Pollen amount: Scarce. Pollen color: 145B.             Pistils: Quantity: One per flower. Pistil length: About             1.2 cm. Style length: About 1 cm. Style color: 145D. Stigma             shape: Bi-parted. Stigma color: 145A. Ovary color: 144A.         -   Seed/fruit.—Seed and fruit production has not been observed. -   Disease/pest resistance: Plants of the new Verbena have been     observed to be tolerant to Powdery Mildew. Plants of the new Verbena     have not been observed to be resistant to other pathogens and pests     common to Verbena. -   Temperature tolerance: Plants of the new Verbena have been observed     to be tolerant to temperatures ranging from −4 to 40° C. 

1. A new and distinct cultivar of Verbena plant named ‘USBENA291’, as illustrated and described. 